Originally Posted by
SkiCO
I recently started my switch from Continental errr United to AA out of Denver. So far I really like what I'm finding except for the multiple CR-7s that service from ORD and LAX. Can we get a real plane here? AA could feed LAX, ORD and MIA with mainlines (and MIA more than 2X per day?) and not fly the eagle RJs into the 5th busiest airport in the world. United has laid an egg with this merger and corporate travelers are looking for options. With the nice club and decent connections AA could continue to eat away at UAL's strangle hold.
I would say DEN being the 11th highest passenger count is more important than being 5th in total movements; AA and UA generally focus on carrying passengers, not cargo. DEN also has a very high amount of smaller airplanes compared to other airports, with a lot of EAS service and other small jet or prop flights to smaller airports throughout the Rockies. The issue for DEN getting increased AA service would be the major Southwest presence there, along with Frontier. UA is pulling back likely because WN and F9 are hitting it hard, and UA has an established hub with a number of destinations to attract DEN-based flyers. In terms of passengers with either their origin or destination as DEN, from what I can see in a quick search, DEN is pretty much equal to BOS. BOS is around 20th in total passenger count, but very few people connect in BOS relatively. Connecting passengers count twice for passenger counts, although they don't drive traffic and routes at the airport itself to the same degree as O&D, which is what AA would need to get to increase service to DEN.